Public policy
Public policy is the sum of government's direct and indirect activities.
Public policy is an institutionalized proposal or a decided set of elements like laws, regulations, guidelines, and actions to solve or address relevant and problematic social issues, guided by a conception and often implemented by programs. These policies govern various aspects of life, including education, health care, employment, finance, economics, transportation, and society as a whole. The implementation of public policy is known as public administration. Public policy can be considered the sum of a government's direct and indirect activities and has been conceptualized in a variety of ways.
- field
- Public policy, political science
- known_for
- Conceptualizing public policy as a web of decisions and actions that allocates values; the policy cycle framework
- key_concept
- Policy cycle: agenda setting, policy formulation, legitimation, implementation, evaluation
- notable_definers
- David Easton, Thomas R. Dye, Richard Titmuss, Paul Cairney, Antonio Lassance, B. Guy Peters
Lore & Background
Public policy is created and/or enacted on behalf of the public, typically by a government, but sometimes by non-state actors or in co-production with communities or citizens, including experts, scientists, engineers, and stakeholders. The policy process is a complex political process involving many actors: elected politicians, political party leaders, pressure groups, civil servants, publicly employed professionals, judges, non-governmental organizations, international agencies, academic experts, journalists, and even citizens who see themselves as passive recipients of policy. Government action can take the form of regulations, subsidies, taxes, and spending plans, aiming to achieve social or economic objectives such as fostering economic growth, reducing inequality, or safeguarding the environment.
Reader's Guide
Public policy is significant as the primary mechanism through which governments address social problems and allocate values. Its conceptualization varies widely: some see it as ideas (principles and plans of action), while others see it as empirical phenomena (what is actually done and its outcomes). David Easton broadened the concept to include both formal policy and actual discriminatory practices, defining it as 'a web of decisions and actions that allocates values.' Thomas R. Dye controversially defined it as 'whatever governments choose to do or not to do,' a definition criticized as empty. This framework emphasizes the iterative and dynamic nature of policymaking. Public policy's legacy lies in its role as a field of study and practice that shapes governance, with its quality measured by the capacity to create public value.
Did You Know?
- David Easton characterized public policy as 'a web of decisions and actions that allocates values.'
- Thomas R. Dye defined public policy as 'whatever governments choose to do or not to do,' a concept he admitted discourages elaborate academic discussions of the definition.
- Public policy can be conceptualized either as ideas (principles and plans of action) or as empirical phenomena (the things that are done and their outcomes).
More in Government And Law 1-21
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record